The ministry is also in talks with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion which recently launched the Startup India initiative along with a detailed action plan unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We are trying to find ways to create an ecosystem for rural population to be able start their own enterprises for sustainable livelihood," said a senior government official.

In its Livelihood for Employment survey of households to study demand for work, over 18 lakh households expressed interest in becoming self-employed. Officials said the ministry believes a much higher demand for such activity exists in villages. In order to nurture such demand, the ministry is also planning to launch a separate programme on skilling for self-employment.

The programme, to be launched on the lines of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushal Yojana, will not focus on placement based skilling but generate livelihood through self-employment. "A lot of people have to leave their villages and relocate in order to sustain a living. There is a large number of people who want to do something staying on their own land…we need to provide adequate skills and other support that they require," the official cited earlier said.

ET View

Strengthen Links With Industry

The government’s intent to launch startups in rural India and develop entrepreneurial skills of the youth in the hinterland is laudable. It will lift many out of poverty and backwardness. But many glitches need to be ironed out. The linkages between industrial training institutes and industry must be strengthened, and the private sector should chip in a big way to promote skill development. Integrating skills into our system of education is equally important. That’s why India must take a page from the apprenticeship programme of Germany.